Author: Elyssa G. Anneser (Page 5 of 7)

2018-2019 Environmental Research Fellowships (TIE Fellows) Program

December 8, 2017 / / 35 Comments

The 2018-2019 Environmental Research Fellowship program, of the Tufts Institute of the Environment (TIE), is for Tufts graduate students to conduct independent, interdisciplinary, environmental research projects. Topics may cover areas such as conservation, public policy, biology, the food water and energy nexus, and public and environmental health, among others. All projects must include an interdisciplinary component and faculty mentors from at least two different schools or departments from within Tufts. Selected students can receive up to $5,000 in research funding.

Masters and PhD students in any Tufts departments or schools are welcome to apply. 

Applications due Thursday, February 15, 2018 at Noon
Fill out the application and send back to TIE. Application available here
Please send any questions to Jill Parlee, Assistant Director of Programs at TIE, at jill.parlee@tufts.edu

 

Spring 2018 Administrative Assistant, Environmental Studies Program (Tufts)

December 7, 2017 / / 25 Comments

The Environmental Studies Program is looking for a diligent, reliable and self-starter student (preferably work-study) to start at the end of January (3-4 hrs a week, $11/hr). Duties include assisting with basic administrative functions of an office, assisting with preparation of promotional material, preparing publications and/or newsletters, assisting with event organization, posting on social media and other tasks as needed.

 Job Requirements: Student must be detail-oriented, have good oral and written communication and organizational skills, ability to multi-task and ability to meet deadlines. Additionally, must be comfortable with technology and be willing and able to learn new software as needed. Proficiency in Word, Excel and Powerpoint required. Experience with graphic design and an interest in environmental topics are a plus. This position is open to all students but those in the ENVS Program are strongly encouraged to apply. Applications are currently being reviewed.

Application includes: cover letter, resume, name and contact information for 2 references, and list of applicant’s available days and hours.

Please apply through Job X
Apply now

 

Green Travel

December 5, 2017 / / 32 Comments

How are you traveling home this break? Have you thought about the environmental impacts of your holiday travel?

Here are a few tips to make your travel more sustainable:

1. Prepare before you go
Before you go make sure you unplug all electronics, close all windows, and turn down the heat. Also, try to finish any leftovers and take with you any perishable foods, so they don’t spoil while you’re gone.

2. Take public transportation
If you are not traveling too far, consider taking public transportation like buses and trains. Trains in the Northeast run on electricity and have lower carbon emissions. According to a report from the Union of Concerned Scientists, passenger trains produce 0.42 pounds of CO2 per passenger mile, compared to driving which produces 1.08 pounds of CO2 per passenger mile. Busses are even more efficient, producing 0.17 pounds of CO2 per passenger mile.

3. Carpool
If you live close enough to drive home, consider carpooling. Talk to your friends who live nearby and coordinate rides. Or, if you live in Massachusetts, Nuride is a great way to coordinate carpooling across the state.

4. If you are going 500 miles or less drive don’t fly
It is more efficient to drive, carpool, or take public transportation if you’re traveling 500 miles or less. Beyond those distances, taking a nonstop flight is the most efficient way to travel.

500 miles radius from Tufts.

5. Buy a carbon offset
If you live farther away and are flying home this break, consider buying a carbon offset for your travels. When you purchase one, offered by Delta, United Airlines, and other airlines, the airlines use that money to plant trees that sequester CO2 from the atmosphere.

6. Veg out
Did you know that becoming a vegetarian or vegan could cut your carbon footprint by half? A new report from the journal Climate Change found that cutting meat out of diets can drastically reduce an individual’s carbon footprint. If you’re not ready to eliminate all meat from your diet, then consider eating less meat. When traveling you’re likely producing more carbon emissions than normal, so one way to cut back on those emissions is to eat less meat!

7. Think about your impact
What is most important is that you are cognizant of how your actions have environmental impacts. One person thinking about sustainability won’t fix climate change, so share with those around you how you take steps to live a sustainable life. While you can only control your own actions, you can influence the actions and behaviors of others. This winter break lets all think about how to be more mindful of sustainability.

Want to read more about sustainable travel?

Smithsonian.org

MotherJones.com

WWF.org

Greenglobaltravel.com

Plastics by the Numbers

December 1, 2017 / / 36 Comments

Have you ever seen numbers on plastics and wondered what they mean?  There are hundreds of different types of plastics, with different properties, making them more flexible or ridged.

The numbers 1-7 on plastics indicate what type of plastic is used in your bottle, container, or shopping bag. Here’s a quick guide to knowing what these numbers really mean.

  1. Plastics labeled with a 1 are  PETE and are typically found in food or beverage bottles and are easily recyclable. PETE is most common for single-use items.
  2. Number 2 plastic is HDPE, which is used in clean product bottles. It is considered a safe plastic, because it doesn’t break down easily and is easily recycled.
  3. Number 3 is for PVC, which is commonly used in piping and other building materials. When burned, PVC releases toxic gases into the environment and is harder to recycle because of this toxicity.
  4. Plastic bags are commonly made from LDPE, number 4, and can be recycled in bulk. You can return shopping bags to your grocery store to recycle them, but never put individual plastic shopping bags into the recycling bin.
  5. Number 5 plastic is found in straws and squeeze bottles. Some of these products can be recycled, but straws are not recyclable.
  6. Styrofoam is made from PS plastic with the number 6. Evidence has shown that these plastics leak toxins into their environment relatively easily and take millennia to degrade naturally. Number 6 plastics can be recycled if collected properly. At Tufts, the Science and Technology Center collects styrofoam in bulk for specialty recycling.
  7. The last category, number 7, is miscellaneous plastics. The attributes and recyclability of the plastics are variable.

To learn more about how recycling works watch this great video from Sci Show:

Be sure to check the numbers on the bottom of your plastics and refer to this guide to recycle your plastics correctly. Recycling is a great way to reduce our environmental footprint and a big step toward making our world more sustainable, but remember that reducing use and reusing items should always come before recycling.

Speciality Recycling and Waste

November 30, 2017 / / 26 Comments

At Tufts, we have collection sites for specialty recycling from batteries to textiles to sneakers to E-Waste! It is extremely important for these products to be recycled and diverted from the waste stream to be repurposed, as this prevents toxic landfill leakage from re-entering the environment  and reduces extractive mining and processing needs both of which harm local community health.

Much of these specialty recycling items can be categorized as universal waste, which includes four general categories: batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, and lamps.  All of these items are regulated by the federal government and must be disposed of in ways that meet federal standards.

To recycle batteries, we need to take some precautions. All alkaline batteries and non-lithium ion batteries must have their terminals taped with clear tape to avoid a potential fire hazard during transportation. Lithium-ion batteries should be collected in a separate bin. There are blue and white bins around campus where you can drop off your old batteries. Batteries are considered regulated waste and must be diverted from the regular waste stream to follow federal regulations.

Tufts also has special yellow toters around campus for composting, a great way to reduce the amount of waste we produce. According to the EPA, almost a quarter of municipal waste in landfills is food waste, which easily could be avoided through composting. We even have tips for making composting in your dorm and off-campus apartment easy and intuitive.

Recently, Tufts implemented a textile-recycling program on campus, with four locations listed on the Tufts Eco-Map. In these bins, you can drop off any and all used textiles, including clothes, towels, bedding, even tennis shoes. These items will either be sold as is or repurposed and sold as new products. Specialty recycling is a great way to get items that would typically be thrown away out of landfills.

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